Writing and preparing your thesis

Your thesis is the culmination of your graduate research study. It should centre on one core argument and use analysis, research and evidence to show how you arrived at this claim.

It is important to build a solid foundation from the outset of your candidature journey, so you can stay on track and finish your thesis on time.

Plan your thesis

Producing a thesis requires more than disciplinary and technical knowledge. You will benefit from a practical project plan and a consistent writing routine.

If you plan to undertake a viva (oral examination), or are a doctorate candidate who commenced after 2025 when the viva became mandatory, you should start considering how you can build on your communication and presentation skills.

Use planners and timetables to monitor your progress, and schedule regular check-ins with your supervisor, as outlined in your Supervisory Agreement [Word].

You should also focus on building a researching and writing routine that supports your wellbeing.

Your faculty or department may offer specific advice and approaches on writing your thesis. Talk to your supervisors about your project plan, agree on the thesis structure and stay consistent in your approach.

Thesis with creative outputs

If you have approval for your thesis to consist of a dissertation and creative outputs, you should also discuss the form and presentation of your thesis with your supervisor. This will ensure that it is presented as a cohesive whole.

Find further information on formatting, weighting and the examination process, if you are submitting a thesis with creative outputs.

Create a PhD project plan

Before you begin writing, develop a plan for how you will approach your research project.

The Research Development Unit (RDU) offers a free Project Management program (SSO login required) to graduate researchers at the University, as part of their professional development programs.

In this program you will learn how to create a project plan for your research, alongside modern project management strategies that are transferable to most workplaces.

Attend academic skills workshops and webinars

Consider building on your current skill set through academic training offered at the University.

These skills will not only help you with your research study – they can also support your future employability.

Academic Skills runs a range of workshops specifically designed for graduate researchers, covering:

Viva (oral examination) training
Using Generative AI in your writing
Literature review.

You can also access self-paced online resources, which focus on topics such as:

As a graduate researcher, you can book free one-hour, one-on-one sessions with an experienced Academic Skills Adviser. You can use these sessions for:

Feedback on written work at any stage of the writing process
Answers to any questions you have about academic work, such as incorporating sources, academic voice and critical analysis
Advice on time management, managing reading, strategies for revision and taking exams and using generative AI tools
Advice on improving your English.

The University Library offers webinars and training sessions through Research@Library in areas such as:

Library skills for researchers
Publication, open access and copyright
Beginner and intermediate webinars on using reference management applications such as Zotero and EndNote.

The Library also has self-paced resources available on research data and file management.

The RDU offers a range of personal development programs for graduate researchers. You will be awarded the Melbourne Graduate Researcher Certificate (GR Certificate) if you complete all ten during your candidature.

Share your research with wider audiences

As you begin to plan out and write your thesis, you should consider opportunities to share your research, beyond your supervisors. Doing this can help you strengthen your communication and writing skills and connect your work to a broader audience.

Alongside attending conferences and seminars, you could practise communicating or writing your research findings in plain language, for a range of different audiences.

You might start your own newsletter or podcast, or write for online publications, such as The Conversation or the University’s research news website, Pursuit.

You may also find it helpful to participate in annual graduate research competitions, where you will have the opportunity to present your research to a non-specialist audience.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an international competition where candidates have only three minutes to present their PhD research findings to an audience, using generalist, accessible language.

This gives you a chance to communicate complex ideas succinctly to a non-specialist audience. 3MT is also a great way to prepare for the viva, an oral examination you will have to do at the end of your doctoral degree if you commenced after 2025.

Reel Impact

Similarly, the Reel Impact Prize challenges researchers to clearly and concisely describe their research as either a 60-second engaging video or a visual storyboard.

Participation in this competition gives you the chance to hone your digital literacy skills and convey complex research to a general audience.

Write your thesis

Writing your thesis is a long process and you will likely work through multiple drafts and revisions.

You should start writing early, ideally within the first year of your candidature – and write regularly.

Maintain the integrity of your thesis

Your thesis should make a distinctive contribution to your area of research.

There are many methods you can use to ensure your thesis is original, such as:

Making discoveries
Generating primary data
Critiquing existing theories from a different perspective
Finding alternative solutions to current problems.

GenAI use and academic integrity

While the University recognises and supports that Generative AI (GenAI) and other Digital Assistance Tools (DATs) are part of the contemporary research environment, your thesis should be your own work.

The use of AI in your research is not prohibited. For example, you may use AI to assist with grammar and spelling, or to proofread text.

You should read through the University's advice on using AI in your graduate research, as there are limits on how GenAI can be used in academic settings. AI tools cannot be listed as authors, and you should consider the risks of entering confidential information or unprotected intellectual property into AI platforms

Any use of AI tools should always be carried out in consultation with your supervisors.

If you do choose to use AI for editorial assistance, you must acknowledge its role as per the Graduate Research Training Policy (MPF1321).

Use iThenticate to maintain originality

iThenticate is a text-matching tool that compares research writing drafts (such as a thesis) with an extensive database of research literature.

You will also be required to use iThenticate at Confirmation, ahead of evaluating your progress on your research project. You will also need to submit an iThenticate report alongside your thesis when you are ready for examination.

Consider using this tool throughout the writing process to maintain the originality of your thesis and ensure the correct attribution of any prior work or the work of others.

Find time and motivation to write

You do not need to write your thesis in isolation. Writing groups and structured sessions can help you build momentum, stay on track and connect with other graduate researchers.

Early-stage writing support

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) runs regular 'Shut Up & Write-a-Thons'.

These sessions are like a study group and use the Pomodoro Technique (25-minute writing sprints with 5-minute breaks). They are ideal for writing sections of your thesis in short, sharp bursts, particularly when you are starting out and finding your writing rhythm.

You will have the opportunity to meet and connect with other graduate researchers, beyond your faculty.

The GSA holds sessions online via Zoom and in person at the 1888 Building within the University’s Parkville campus.

Later-stage writing opportunities

The GSA also runs Thesis Bootcamps. These three-day writing programs offer thesis-specific support, and opportunities for social connection each day. The bootcamps generally run towards the middle and end of the academic year.

Held in person, the bootcamps are designed for graduate researchers at a later stage of candidature who have their research and data ready, and need focused, quiet time to write.

Your faculty or department may have writing groups and may offer their own 'bootcamps', giving you the chance to connect with graduate researchers within your own discipline.

Take breaks as needed and support your health

While it is important to maintain a regular writing routine, it is equally important to take time away from your research, to rest, recover or recharge.

You should familiarise yourself with your leave entitlements and take breaks as needed, whether you are sick, have caring duties or simply need a break from your research.

While it can be tempting to dedicate yourself to your research, you should put time aside for your own wellbeing, socialising and other interests.

Edit your thesis

Your thesis must be your own work, and you must clearly understand your role as well as the roles of your supervisors and others throughout the editorial process.

Consider engaging a professional editor

Your supervisors may encourage you to have your thesis professionally edited before submission, so it is readable, consistent and clear.

The Graduate Research Training Policy allows others to edit your thesis within the limits set out in the current Guidelines for Editing Research Theses. This means that, as a graduate researcher, you may engage a professional editor, provided their role is limited to copyediting and proofreading. Learn more about the types of editing an academic editor can assist with.

The University does not maintain a list of editors. If you would like help finding a suitable editor, the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) has a register of accredited editors.

If your thesis has benefited from editorial advice in any form, including AI, you must include the editor’s name or the company that provided the service, and a briefly describe the service in the preface of your thesis.

Prepare your thesis for submission

There are strict requirements around how you format your thesis ahead of submission and what you need to include.

Thesis format and preface requirements

The Graduate Research Training Policy contains information specific to thesis content, language and word limits.

Read detailed information on how to meet formatting and preface requirements for your thesis. This sample thesis title page [Word] demonstrates how to correctly set out the title page of your thesis.

If your thesis includes some of your publications or material extracted from some of your publications, you will need to follow requirements to include these in your thesis.

The University repository, Minerva Access, stores completed theses and is a good resource for viewing how recent graduates have presented their work. To initiate a search, browse by 'types' and choose 'Masters research thesis', 'PhD thesis' or 'Doctorate'.

Acknowledging major disruptions

You may have needed to significantly alter your research plan due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other major disruptions.

In your thesis, you should discuss any methodological changes you have made and explain how the changes resulted because of the disruptions.

You should consult with your supervisors to decide what approach suits your situation best.

Joint PhD thesis preparation

If you are enrolled in a joint PhD, you should aim to align your thesis with both institutions’ requirements where possible. Thesis and examination requirements are outlined in your Graduate Researcher Agreement (GR Agreement).

Including copyrighted material

If your thesis includes third-party copyright material, you will need to include a list of the material and state whether you have gained permission from the copyright owners to make this material publicly available as part of your thesis.

Please use the Template for Listing Third Party Copyright Material [Word] to create this list. Find further information on copyright and working with the copyright of others.

Thesis word limits

The University Handbook will contain the specific word limit for your course and where applicable, the proportion of the thesis to be presented as a creative output. You should discuss discipline-specific requirements with your advisory committee, so expectations are clear.

Unless otherwise specified in the Handbook, the maximum word limit for theses (including footnotes but excluding tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices) is:

50,000 words for Masters theses
100,000 words for a PhD or doctoral thesis.

You should aim to write a thesis shorter than the maximum allowed, for example 40,000 for a Masters thesis or 80,000 words for a PhD.

Any thesis that exceeds the maximum limit requires permission to proceed to examination, which must be requested via the Graduate Research Examinations Office (gr-exams@unimelb.edu.au) before submission.

You do not need to navigate thesis writing on your own. With a realistic project plan, regular writing habits and support, you can make steady progress towards submission throughout your candidature.